Removable service tray and support therefor



Feb. 7, 1933. VU 1,896,971

REMOVABLE SERVICE TRAY AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed Oct. 4, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 7, 1933. g F RAVUN 1,896,971

REMOVABLE SERVICE TRAY AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed Oct. 4, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFEQE FREDERICK F. RAVLIN', OF MIAMI, FLORIDA REMOVABLE SERVICE TRAY AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Application filed October 4, 1932. Serial No. 636,246.

mobiles, and arranged for cooperation with the pocket of a door in which the window glass is raised and lowered.

Trays of this character are usually employed for use within the automobile and should be so constructed as to be substantially rigid and firm when in use with the tray level, and while the hooks of the tray support form an upper bearing for the tray hanging, the support must also bear against the inner surface of the door to form another point of contact for rigid bearing. As automobile doors have different thicknesses of inner wall window glass pockets in different makes of automobiles, there must be compensation of the bearing points of contact in order that in every use the tray may be maintained level. Furthermore, if the tray is not held level the hooks engaging in the window glass pocket will be inclined, with a tendency to displace the hooks in the raising of the window.

The present invention is therefore directed to a tray and support with compensation for different thicknesses of inner wall of the glass pocket, with such compensation readily provided for while maintaining the tray level at all times and insuring a position of the hooks in the glass pocket to avoid any contact with the window in any operation of the latter.

The compensating means of the present invention utilizes a parallel-ruler movement of the support, is simply operated and controlled, and is locked in adjusted position to insure a proper level, rigid support for the tray with an impossibility of casual or accidential displacement.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of improved tray and support.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the tray and supportbeing shown in applied position, and the door to which the parts are applied shown in dotted outline.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of the support.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the form shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a further modified form, showing a different construction of locking means.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, and with particular reference to the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tray 1, which may be of any desired form and of any appropriate material, is secured to supporting arms 2, preferably constructed of a single metal strip, bent to embrace a portion of each side edge of the tray and across one end, intermediate portions of the strip being projected outwardly in parallel relation from one end of the tray to form the arms 2. These arms owing to the formation of the part from a single strip are of double thickness, with the respective parts slightly spaced.

Pivotally secured between the sections of the arms 2 are the spaced members 3 and 4 of a parallel ruler connection, the lower element of which is the arm, while the upper element is providedin a cross bar 5, connect ing the members 3 and 4. Rising from the points of connection of the cross bar with the members 3 and 4, are, at each side-{of the support, slightly converging strips 6,5 and 7,

to the upper ends of which is rigidly connect- 8 ed the hook bar 8 of the support. The hook bar is of U-form in plan, having an inner bar 9, extending across the support, side bars 10, to which the strips 6 and 7 are connected on each side of the support, and forward terminal hooks 11, which extend downwardly. The bar 9, side bars 10 are preferably on edge vertically of the support, while the hooks 11 and portions of the side bars immediately adjacent thereto are turned at right angles to provide a flat bearing contact part 12 for bearing on the upper surface of the wall of the glass pocket, and to permit the hooks to have a flat bearing against such wall within the pocket with minimum projection into such 9 pocket space.

One of the parallel-ruler members, as 3, is projected above the plane of the hook bar 8, and pivotally supports the ends of a U-shaped locking bar 13, the crossbar 14: of which forms 100 an operating and locking element of the sup- 7 port adjustment. In use this locking bar 14: overlies the edges of the side bars 10 of the hook bar, and such edges of the. hook bar are 5 formed with looking notches 15, and cross bar 14 of the locking bar'is' formed at appropriate points with sharpened edges 16 to cooperate with the notches 15. Thus when the cross bar 1 1' is resting on the upper edges of the side bars 10,, the locking bar obviously holds the parallel-ruler frame from movement. p I

In this form, the hooks 11 are-positioned within the window-glasspocket of the selecteddoor, with the bearing'portion 12 resting oni the upper edge of the inner wall of such pocket In order that the ends of the arms 2 ,Twhi chare designed to contact with the inner surface of such wall, and are provided 207 with pads 17 to prevent marring such wall, the

tray and .arms 2 must be moved bodily toward the wall. Thepocket formation is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the inner wall. of

such pocket is shown'at 18. In'order to move the parts to provide the proper bearing defined and to compensate fordifferent thicknesses of wall 18, the operator grasping the bar 90f the hook bar and the crossbar 14 of the locking bar moves then relatively and toward each other. This moves the ends of the arms 2 relatively to and toward the inner surface of the wall 18 until the pads 17 contact with such wall. In this position release of the bar 14 of the locking'bar insures cooperation of the locking edges 16 with the appropriate notches'15 of the side bars 10 of the hook bar, and prevents casual disturbance of the disposition of the'parts. The parallel-ruler construction compels the hook bar and arms 2,

4475 and therefore the tray to, remain. at all times parallel, and as the hook bar isat right anglesto the door, the tray remains level in all adjustments, and the hooks remain -at all times fiat against the inner surface of the wall 18 of the glass pocket, to avoid any possible contact between the hooks and thewindow in operation of the latter.

Inthe form shown in Figs. 3 and 4;, the tray 7 19, thearms 20, and the spacedmembers 21, 22, of the parallel-ruler movement are identi-' cal with the preferred form. In this instance, however, the hook bar 23, simila r to the hook bar of the preferred form,.is directly connected to and forms the upper cross bar of of this form includes the inner bar 24, side bars 25, terminal hooks 26, and bearing portions 27, with the notches. 28 in the upper.

edges of the side bars 25,-.as in the preferred form. A locking bar 29, similar to the locking bar of the preferred form and includingthe parallel ruler movement. -The hook bar ever, pivotally. connected to similar parallelruler members 21, below the hook bar 23.

The operation of this form of the invention is similar to that described in connection with the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it being obvious that relative movement between the locking bar and hook bar will move the terminals of, the arms 20, which 3.4, arms 35 connectedto the tray, parallelruler members 36 and 37 pivotally connected to and rising from the arms 35,. and a hook ,bar 38' forming the upper crossbar of the parallel-ruler construction. The hook has identical parts with'theother forms, except as to the notches, the hook bar including the inner .cross bar .39, side bars 40, terminal hooks 41,-and bearing contact portions 42., v

The particular detail of difference in the form beingdescribed resides in a cam plate 43 secured and'projecting inwardly, that is toward the tray from similar bars, as 36, of

the parallel-ruler construction. The free edges 14. of these plates meet the inner edges of the members 36 at the lower ends of the plates and then curve outwardly and upi ardly, theline ofcurvature being later referred to.

Locking arms 45ers pivotally connected.-

to the other parallel-ruler. member 37, near the upper :end of the latter and above the cam plates, thefree ends of the arms 45 being formed as hooks 46; to embrace the free edges of such cam plates. The locking arms are preferablyformed as a single element, being made up as a strip terminally formed to provide the arms, and then extended inwardly on the opposite sides of the member 37, at an angle to the arms 45, as at 47, a cross bar 4:8-connecting the parts't'T.

The line of curvature of the free edgesof the similar'cam plates &3, is such as to-be locking arms 45, and may thu'slbe said to. be on a radius having a center at the pivotal support of the locking arms. This is approximately but not exactly the true center,

accurately followed by'the h'ooks46'of the for allowance must be made for the relative changing relation of the locking'arms and parallel ruler members 36 and 37 In any event, the pivotal support of the locking arms is above the cam edge, and in the ad justment ofthe free ends of the tray arms 35 toward the inner surface of the-wall of; the window glass pocket, as in the other forms,

the hook terminals of the locking arms 45 will follow the free, edges of the cam plates 43 and prevent opposite movement of the parallel-ruler members 36 and 37 The locking arms 45, when in locking cooperation with the free edges of the cam plates are kept from moving upwardly by gravity, and the swing of the arms, which is compelled to follow the outward curve of the cam edges cannot take place accidentally, though freely accomplished by manually raising the locking arms.

Thus in adjusting the free ends of the tray arms 35, which are provided with the usual pads 4-9, into contact with the inner surface of the glass pocket wall, the locking arms 45 will follow down the free edges of the cam plates 43, and when the ends of the arms 85 are in contact with the wall surface, the parts are locked against casual displacement, and this locking is accomplished automatically. When the tray is to be removed, the cross bar 48 is operated to move the hook terminals of the locking arms 45 upwardly, thus permitting relative rearward movement of the tray and tray arms 35, and the hooks 41 lifted from the glass pocket of the door.

It will be noted from the above that the invention provides a tray support having two spaced points of bearing contact, one in the hooks and the other in the ends of the tray arms. These relative points of bearing contact are adjustable to compensate for different thicknesses of wall of the glass pocket of the door, with the adjusting parts locked against casual displacement. The locking means is substantially automatic in all forms, as mere release of the locking bar in the forms shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 will ensure looking. The particular and salient features of the adjusting means, however, is that during any and all adjustments, the tray arms, and therefore the tray, and the hook bar remain parallel, and as the latter rests upon the upper edge of the wall of the door glass pocket, and is level relative to the door, the tray is also level or at right angles to the door and this position is never changed or altered in any adjusted position.

The parallel relation of the hook bar with respect to the tray, and the maintainance of the latter in level position, compels the hooks engaging within the window glass pocket of the door to remain at all times in content with the inner surface of the inner wall of such pocket. Therefore, in any adjustment of the tray, the hooks are not tilted or inclined. hence there is no iossibility of the hooks being in the path of the window when being raised, as such contact would displace the hooks and disconnect the support.

While the tray is shown of the sl form and the other parts metallic st i it is to be understood that should it he doired, any form of tray of other article may be utilized in place of the tray, and the other parts he of any appropriate material or outline form, so long as the results sought are. obtained.

Having thus described the invention, what aimed as new is.

l. A tray and support therefor, said support including tray arms and door glass gaging hooks providing spaced 1 ely i'p sfid bearing and contact points f r the support of the tray, and means for elatively adjusting said arms and hooks, said means comprising a parallel ruler con "1 between the tray arms and pocket hooks and a locking element for said allel ruler connections permitting relative movement of the hooks and tray arms towards each other in parallel planes but precluding corresponding movement away from each other.

A tray and support therefor, said suport including tray-carrying arms and glass o engaging hoo is providing spaced ly opposed points of contact and sup- ;1 for the tray, means for adjusting the and hooks towards and away from h other in parallel planes, said means comprising a parallel ruler connection between the arms and hooks. and locking parallel ruler connections eninfinitesimal increments of adthe arms and hooks toward and m each other.

o. A tray and support therefor, said support including tray-carrying arms and glass pocket engaging hooks, a parallel ruler cone arms and hooks, means operating the parallel-ruler connection a :118: the arms and hooks relatively, said -)arallel-ruler' connection maintaining the =3 level in all adjustments.

1 A tray and support therefor, said support including tray-carrying arms and glass potiret one; ging hooks, a parallel-ruler conb ween said arms and hooks, means ng the arms and hooks relatively the parallel-ruler connection. to t- -e tray level, and means for lockparallel-ruler connection against novement at will.

A tray and. support therefor, said suport including tray-carrying arms and glass pocket engaging hooks, a parallel-ruler connection between the arms and hooks, and a locking bar connected to the parallel-ruler connection and movable relative to the ooks to adjust the arms and hooks in relation to each other.

A tray and support therefor, said support including tray-carrying arms and hooks to cng in the glass pocket of an automobile door, parallel members connecting said 5 and hooks, a loc ring bar connected r and operating said parallel members to relatively adjust the arms and hooks, and means for securing the locking bar against following adjustment.

T. Atray and supporttherefor, said supportincluding tray-carrying arms and hooks, a parallel ruler connection between said arms and hooks to permit relative movement of said arms and hooks in parallel plane, and locking means to permit movement of the arms and hooks toward each other but automatically engageable to proclude the movement away from each other. g

8. Atray and support therefor, said support comprising tray-carrying arms, a hook bar terminating in engaging hooks, parallel members connecting said arms and hook bar and a locking bar for compelling movementof said arms and hook bar relatively through such parallel members, said hook bar and ably supporting the feet on the support. and

including locking means precluding relative movement of the feet and hooks away from each; other vertical planes but auto,- matically releasable to permit corresponding movement toward eachothen. H In testimony whereof I affix my signature. FREDERICK F- RAVLIN.

looking bar being arranged for locking co operation.

9. A tray and supporttheref-or, said sup port including tray-carrying arms and door engaging hooks, a hook bar of which the hooks form a part, parallel members connecting the arms and hook bar, a locking bar connected to one of the parallel members and operable to relatively adjust the tray arms and hooks, said hook bar being formed with notches and the locking bar with engaging sections to interlock the locking bar and hook bar in any positions of adjustment.

10. A tray and support therefor, said support comprising tray-carrying arms, parallel members rising therefrom, a hook bar forming cross elements for the upper ends of the members to thereby provide a parallel- ADI ruler connection between the hook bar and V.

tray-arms, cam plates carried by one of said members, and a locking bar having a hooked engagement with the-freel edges of the cam plates, said hooked engagement automatically operative in adjustment of the arms and hooks to lock the parts against opposing movement.

11. A tray support having terminal hanger -the hooks areconnected, and means adjust:

ably supporting the feet on the support and including locking means permitting relative movement in infinitesimal increments of the hooks and feetin vertical planes toward each other but precluding such movement away from each other. I

. 13. A tray support having terminal hanger hooks, bearing feet below the plane of the hooks to engage the wall surface with which the hooks are connected, and means adjust- 

